Efectos de la congelación y ultracongelación en la estructura y textura de frutas y vegetales: Una revisión bibliográfica de datos publicados

Abstract

Currently, freezing has become one of the most widely used preservation methods for fruits and vegetables, as these are considered highly perishable, avoiding microbial proliferation and extending shelf life. However, during the freezing process, ice crystals are formed inside the food, which cause deterioration of the cellular microstructure, directly affecting the quality of the product. The objective of this research is to report the changes in the structure and texture of frozen and deep-frozen fruits and vegetables. It was carried out based on a bibliographic search in secondary sources of research conducted worldwide, from which it is established that the effectiveness of a freezing method depends on different process conditions, mainly on the freezing speed and temperature. It also depends on other factors such as: the species, the treatment that the food has received prior to freezing, which is discussed by comparing different fruits and vegetables, subjected to similar processes. Finally, it was deduced that in Ecuador there is a lack of research studies on the effects produced by a freezing process on the structure and texture of locally produced vegetables, a negative aspect considering that it is a country that has the climatic conditions to produce a great variety of this type of food, for which reason it is suggested that future research should focus on the aforementioned subject.